Tell Me a Story
by Wilde-eyes
Summary: Dr. Whale delivers devastating news to Emma and Regina after a car accident. They only have a few minutes to say goodbye. (Warnings: Character death and major tears)
1. Tell Me

**Tell Me a Story**

"Tell me a story." Emma whispered softly against Regina's neck.

_The brunette spent the entire day denying the reality, refusing to acknowledge the fast invading poison that was taking over her lover's soul. She paced up and down the narrow hall, waiting for the doctor to return with news. "There was nothing we could do." Dr. Whale broke the news to Regina, emerging from her room after her surgery had failed. "The crash just caused to much internal bleeding, I'm truly sorry. She's awake now if you would like to say goodbye." He had left the two to handle the news alone, giving them a chance to say goodbye while they still had time. Regina could feel death fast approaching, however._

"Okay baby," She gently stroked her lovers back, scared any sudden moves might brake her in her fragile state. "What story would you like to hear?" Regina did her best to focus on the sounds of the blonde's breathing, and not the insufferable beep of the heart monitor. She knew that with the surgery having done nothing, it wouldn't be long before she... slipped away.

"It doesn't matter. Just... Just distract me from the cold. I'm so cold..." The weakness in her voice scared Regina.

"Shhh...okay." She had never seen her this weak and defenseless before. There wasn't anything she could do to save Emma. Her own powerlessness was starting to kill her and all she could simple do was hold her. Regina fought to keep the tears at bay. She had to stay strong. For Emma. "Okay, close your eyes baby." She smiled at how peaceful Emma looked with her eyes closed, almost as if everything was all right again. Regina kissed her forehead lightly, it wouldn't be long now. "Once upon a time, there was a brave Knight, lost in the enchanted forest." She began her story, "This Knight, she wandered aimlessly through the trees until one day she ran into The Queen-"

Suddenly Regina was interrupted by Emma's mousy voice. "I'm getting sleepy."

Regina started to slightly panic, she could hear Emma's heart beat beginning to slow on the monitor. She jostled Emma slightly, bringing her back to. "Try and stay awake. All you have to do is listen, ok dear?"

"Okay I'll try." The blonde half nodded her head. "You know I love this story. It's my favorite..." She mumbled almost too softly for Regina to hear her.

"Yes, yes I know dear." It broke her heart. If only they hadn't gotten into a fight that afternoon. Emma wouldn't have been driving and she wouldn't be lying there now, slowly slipping from Regina's grasp. The brunette paused, regained her composure and then continued on with the story. "Anyway, The Queen was evil in the eyes of all that crossed her path, however not to the brave Knight. She saw something in the Queen that no one before her had seen."

"I saw you." Emma lifted herself up off Regina's chest slightly, eyes open to search out Regina's chocolate brown gaze. Her eyes lit up as though the little detail in the story was new and exciting, as if she hadn't heard the story time and time again.

"Yes, yes you did dear." Regina pulled Emma back down so she was resting her head against her shoulder again. "The Queen showed the lost Knight her way out of the forest, and in return, the Knight, being the brave Knight she was, showed the Queen what it was like to let someone in, to not have to be evil." Regina smiled as she told the last bit of the story, soaking up the feel of Emma's warm body against her's for as long as she still could.

"And they lived happily ever after." Emma finished as cheerily as she could manage. "You can't forget that part Madame May... Mad..."Emma swallowed drily unable to push out the rest of her lover's name. Regina nodded, unable to form words through her tears. "I think... I'll sleep... now." Emma rasped, all energy she had been running on long spent. She yawned and nuzzled into Regina further. "I love y-"

"I love you too." Regina erupted into sobs as the beeping heart monitor next to Emma's hospital bed flatlined. She screamed on the top of her lungs, unable to do anything else.

_This can't be happening. "Whale! You will fix her." Regina followed the doctor out of the room after hearing the news._

_"Regina, I'm sorry. Like I said, we did all we could, but the damage was too great." He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You should go be with her now." The doctor turned to walk away but was stopped by a tug on his sleeve._

_"I don't accept that!" She screeched, tears flowing down her cheeks in a steady stream._

_He looked at her with eyes filled with pity. "Go tell her how much you love her." He turned away again, this time she didn't stop him. It wasn't him that she was angry at. She, she wasn't sure who she was angry at. _

The next few hours Regina spent hunched over Emma's body. She didn't think it fair however, that true love's kiss didn't seem to wake her up no matter how many times she tried to rouse her lover. It alway's seemed to work in the fairytales.


	2. It Hurts

AN: Sorry this chapter took so long to finish. I've actually had it done for a while now, but I just kept for getting to post it. Chapter three is also already written, and after one last looking over shall be posted within the next few days. I hope you enjoy, and tell me what you think :)

**It Hurts**

When we're dying or have suffered a catastrophic loss, we all move through five distinct stages of grief. We go into denial because the loss is so unthinkable we can't imagine it's true. We become angry with everyone, angry with survivors, angry with ourselves. Then we bargain. We beg. We plead. We offer everything we have; we offer our souls in exchange for just one more day. When the bargaining has failed and the anger is too hard to maintain, we fall into depression, despair, until finally we have to accept that we've done everything we can. We let go. We let go and move into acceptance. -Meredith Grey (Grey's Anatomy)

_"Regina!" Emma stormed into the mayor's house as if she lived there herself. Anger was flowing through her like electricity, and she really felt like punching something. Hard. _

_"Yes Miss Swan?" Regina appeared from the kitchen, more than a little aggravated to be intruded on while she was in the middle of cooking dinner. _

_"How could you?" The blonde spat._

_"'How could I' what, dear? You are going to have to be slightly more specific." The Mayor crossed her arms under her chest, propping it up ever so slightly. _

_"Sleep with Graham. How could you fucking sleep with Graham?" Emma threw her hands up in the air. It was mind boggling to her. With everything Regina had, why couldn't she just be happy already and stop doing shit to interfere with her life. It was like she purposely went searching for new reasons everyday, just to screw with her. The day after she joined the sheriffs department, Emma found the good old mayor in the sheriff's bed. Coincidence? The women was following her around, watching her, making sure she couldn't do anything to screw up her perfect town. It was aggravating to say the least. _

_"I'm sorry, and why should you care dear?" Regina had a knowing smirk plastered across her smug face. It amused Regina to see how the blonde thought her love life had anything to do with her. _

"Regina…" Jefferson stood in the doorway of the hospital room, his eyes thickly rimmed with red as if he had just been crying. "Whale called…" He took a step into the room slowly, not wanting to startle Regina, who seemed to be in some sort of trance. She sat on the bed with Emma, still wrapped up in her arms, rocking her back at forth at a steady pace. Her eyes were plastered shut and she was mumbling something incoherently.

Dr. Whale walked into the room and acknowledged Jefferson, who apparently had driven straight to the hospital after receiving his call, not even bothering to change out of his pajamas. "I can't get her to leave," the doctor whispered to the other man, "and we need to move the body down to the morgue."

Jefferson turned and scowled at the doctor. "What charming bedside manner you have, Dr. Whale." He offered an obnoxiously wide sarcastic grin to drive his point home. There were more than a few nasty things he wanted to say to the man, but it wasn't the time nor the place. Releasing an exaggerated breath, Jefferson decided to ignore Whale's insufferably rude nature, and do what he came to do. Help his friend.

Jefferson watched as Whale left the room to check up on his other patients, leaving him and Regina alone with the blonde's body. She was still mumbling away in Emma's ear, tears in a steady stream down the side of her face. The sight was truly heart breaking to see his best friend holding her deceased lover in her arms, acting as if she was… 'mad,' for lack of a better term.

"Regina, we have to go. Regina… Regina can you hear me?" He place a hand on her cheek, gently wiping away some of the dampness with the callused padding of his thumb. "You have to let her go…" He whispered sorrowfully, putting an end to all her senseless rambles. Her chocolate eyes looked up, wide and in shock as they connected with his, as if it was the first time she had truthfully noticed he was even in the room.

Her look of shock quickly turned to a look of confusion, her eyebrows furrowing. "Wh-wha…" Her eyes darted around frantically, not understanding what he was trying to say. She swallowed visibly, trying to regain function of her vocal cords, "No I'm not leaving until she wakes up!" Regina shook her head furiously as Jefferson tried to gently pull her away from the bed, however she easily shook him off. "She's just taking a short little nap, and when she's done she'll wake, I know it… she'll wake, I know… " Regina's voice tapered off until she was cooing softly, stroking Emma's face, simply brushing her blonde locks off her pale face. A tear fell from Regina's face and landed on Emma, only to be quickly swiped away. "…she'll wake…" she said to no one but herself, for everyone else in the room had already come to terms and accepted what had happened, but no. Not Regina. More tears began pooling in the corners of her eyes, dangerously on the edge about to spill over again.

"It's time to go Regina, there's nothing more to do here." She nodded reluctantly. With his help, Regina removed herself from the bed. "You did everything you could've done." Jefferson consoled her, rubbing a hand up and down her, offering comfort.

At his words Regina tensed, however. She took a half step away from him, staring at him accusingly. "What do you mean I did everything I could?" she sneered, her voice raising three octaves. "It was my fault she was on the road! It was my fucking fault Jefferson, so don't even try and tell me it's not…" Her voice cracked violently as her tears began mixing with her very loud yelling. "Don't even try…Don't…" She was pounding her fists against his chest, taking her pain out on him. He didn't even move to try and defend himself, nor did he grab her wrists and still them. All he could do was wait until she calmed down. He knew she would, it would just take time, however. Jefferson knew what it was like to lose someone you loved, he had spent years beating himself up for the lose of his daughter, he just needed to vent his anger, as does Regina.

Finally her punches weakened and they quickly transformed from pushing him away, to pulling him closer, desperate grasps for anything solid to hold onto, to ground herself to this reality. Jefferson pulled Regina into him, wrapping his arms protectively over her as she began sobbing violently into his chest. He rested his chin the top of her head, fighting the urge to let his tears fall freely as well. But no, he had to be strong for Regina. She collapsed into his arms helplessly crumbling. She had no will power to go on without Emma. Regina's knees went weak and if it wasn't for Jefferson, she would have fallen to the floor.

After about a minute or so of standing in that position, Jefferson began to feel resistance as Regina tried to push herself off his chest. "She's gone isn't she. Emma is really gone. I feel… I don't feel anything…" She managed to push out between sniffles. Jefferson looked at her with a look of compassion, but Regina recognized the concern laced beneath it as well. "I don't know what to do." The brunette bit her plump bottom lip to a painful degree to stop the onslaught of tears from returning. She looked up at him searching the tear stained face for any sign of what to do next, but it was useless. "...Just numb," she whispered to no one but herself, "I don't feel anything."

_Regina quirked an eyebrow. "Hmm? Why Miss Swan? Why does my sleeping with Graham warrant a visit from his deputy?" Regina uncrossed her arms and moved closer, her stiletto heels making a sharp clicking sound on the marble flooring. "You aren't sleeping with him as well, are you?" She quipped. The idea, however, did flicker through her mind briefly for a moment before she discarded the notion completely. She would have sensed it earlier if that had been the case. No, there was most definitely ulterior motives for the blonde barging into her home so abruptly. _

_Emma stood in front of the mayor for a minute or two, speechless. She couldn't come up with a plausible answer as to why the idea of Regina with Graham made her so angry, and she certainly was not sleeping with him, as had been suggested by Regina. "It isn't right." The blonde declared strongly, however even she knew it was as lame an excuse as ever._

_Regina narrowed her eyes, trying to more accurately attain a baring on the situation. "Miss Swan, I'm sorry but I don't understand. Graham and I are both consenting adults that are not in any other committed relationships. We aren't hurting anyone, and it is not getting in the way of either of our jobs," Regina was talking to her as if she was a child who had a learning disability. "Now explain to me again how 'it isn't right.'"_

_"Because…." Emma struggle to find the words. Granted, It would have been a lot easier to know what to say if she knew what she was feeling, however, Emma never seemed to have that luxury. _

_"If you could hurry this along, Miss Swan, I do have a roast in the oven." Regina stared deeply into her eyes. There it was. The stare that sparked the deep fiery sensation in Emma every time. It made the blonde want to strangle the woman, to wipe the smirk right off her face, to slam her up against a wall hard enough to cause physical harm. _

_"Because I love you." Emma went slack jawed. That wasn't what she had planned to say. She was going to say, 'because Graham is too good for you,' the words had been right on the tip of her tongue, so what in the hell went wrong?_

_"I'm sorry, Miss Swan, I don't think I heard you correctly." She seemed so unfazed and calm by the confession, it sent Emma's already flaring nerve endings overboard. She felt like she was on fire, and just the sound of the brunette's sultry voice made her mouth grow dry. But what unnerved Emma more was that she didn't regret saying it, she didn't regret it even one bit. It actually felt strangely right once she got past the initial shock. _

_She took a step closer to Regina. The woman infuriated her, yet every time they were in the same room, Emma's mind always seemed to wander over to the brunette "I said 'I love you.' You really should pay more attention Madame Mayor." Emma gave the brunette a smirk of her own, regaining some confidence as her nerves calmed. _

_"Is that so…" Regina smiled back. And it wasn't the smile that everyone knew meant 'run for your life', it was a smile Emma had only seen the mayor use on one person before, Henry. Everything that happened next seemed to happen all so fast. First they were standing there, staring at each other. Then Regina was slowly closing the space between them, leaning in to whisper a question in the blonde's ear. A question that Emma never had a chance to respond to however, as her lips were pressed against Regina's in what felt like the most natural kiss she had ever experienced. Emma knew she had a right to be pissed when she found out the Mayor had been sleeping with the sheriff, how could she not be pissed when she found out the love of her life was sleeping with her boss? _


	3. Can't Keep Us Apart

AN: So I was wondering what you guys think of the format? Do you like the way I'm writing in the flashbacks or no? It's the first time I'm trying anything like this in a story so feedback would be greatly appreciated :)

**Can't Keep Us Apart**

_"Hey mom, can I go see Emma today?" Regina froze in place. She knew Henry wasn't going to like her response. She quickly finished applying her deep red lipstick and then turned her full attention towards her son._

_"Henry… I just don't think today is the best day." Hoping he would drop the subject, The Mayor packed her make-up into her purse, and headed into the kitchen to make their breakfast. _

_The two of them sat at the table in silence as they ate their eggs and bacon, with a tall glass of orange juice for Henry and a cup of coffee for Regina. Uncomfortable by the silence, Henry unceremoniously broke it. "Mom?"_

_"Yes dear?" She smiled over her morning addition of 'The Daily Mirror.'_

_Henry cleared his throat, nervous about what he was about to ask. He knew the topic of Emma was sensitive when it came to his mother, but it wasn't fair she kept him from her. "I… I know you already said I can't hang around Emma today," Regina nodded slowly, clearly understanding where he was heading, "but it doesn't seem fair. I mean she's my mom too, and I haven't gotten the chance to even talk to her in the longest time." Regina though his whining was childish, however she understood. Granted, it was a bit hypocritical on her part to keep Henry from the blonde, when she herself spends a decent portion of everyday with her. _

_"Alright dear, but only for a little while. I don't like you hanging around her too much." The smile she received from Henry made Regina forget all doubts she had been having. If he was happy, then she would be too. Her personal issues with Miss Swan she would have to deal with separately at a later date. _

"What do you mean my mom's dead?" Henry could be heard from the other side of the hospital wing, standing by the entrance with Mary Margaret's tear-filled eyes. "She can't be." He shrieked loudly, braking away from the brunette in a full out sprint across the otherwise quiet medical ward.

Regina skillfully intercepted him right outside of the room that still held Emma's lifeless body, catching him by the arms before he could push past. She hugged him briefly before bending down to his eye level. Her tears from earlier had dried, but they were quickly being replaced by fresh tears edging in the corners of her eyes. How could she break his heart? Emma was his hope, and despite her early reluctance to the blonde's presence in his life, Regina knew in the end she was good for him. "Henry… I'm so. so. so… sorry." She hugged him tightly around his shoulders, comforting him as much as seeking comfort.

He refused to accept it however. Good always wins. It has to... "Did you try true Love's kiss?" He asked pushing her off of him slightly, but not completely braking their contact. Emma had convinced him a while ago that even if she might (key word might) be the Queen, she wasn't actually evil, she was just heartbroken. Emma had been the one to repair Regina's heart, and repair the relationship between her and her son. Now that she was gone, Regina could only imagine was Henry was going to think of her. His reddened eyes gazed questioningly up at Regina, grasping onto the last bit of hope he could manage.

Regina sighed and bit her lip. Her head nodded as her eyes answered his question for him. "… Of course I did, Henry." She barely managed to get her voice above a whisper as she fought herself to not brake down into hysterics again. Her voice clearly showed her desperation over the situation. "I tried everything. Nothing could be done though." She hated seeing him like this, and hated it even more knowing things wouldn't resolve themselves in a couple of days like they usually would. Her hand lightly ghosted over his check, wiping away several escaped tears.

Henry flinched away, however, from her soft touch, "This is your fault!" His voice rose. Rather violently, the ten year-old jerked out of his mothers embrace. "You didn't try hard enough!" He accused. His grief clouding his judgement, Henry suddenly became overwhelmed with a rush of emotions, his mind swarming with all his previous theories as to who his mother was, and what she had done. The thoughts of the Evil Queen and the curse only fueling his anger further. Not only did he lose a mother, but the town lost their savior.

"Henry… no…" She weakly defended. She didn't have anymore energy for this tonight. She had spent all her reserve energy on Emma already. Regina reached her hand out to pull him back, but she just grabbed air instead.

"Just… just leave me alone!" Henry yelled through his tears. Regina understood he was hurt, and he didn't know how to deal with his pain so he was directing his anger towards her. It was an act she wasn't entirely innocent of herself, so she didn't blame him. However, that didn't mean watching him run back into Mary Margaret's arms didn't sting.

The brunette remained in her kneeling position after her son and his teacher promptly left the hospital. After a few minutes Jefferson quietly cleared his throat, bringing Regina out of her thoughts. "He's gone too... isn't he?" She asked sullenly as she felt a hand being gently placed on her shoulder.

"No, not gone," He replied, eyes fixed on the door the boy and teacher just exited from, "he'll be back Regina. He just needs time." Jefferson swallowed back some tears before helping the mayor off the ground and out of the hospital. They both smelled of death the entire ride home.

_"Hey Emma!" Henry called out to her, running up excitedly. They were at the spot of their old castle playhouse, which Regina had the town rebuild new again just for Henry. "I brought you flowers, yellow, your favorite." He waved them around energetically._

_Regina, sitting in her car parked twenty feet away, watched her son having a one sided conversation with Emma. It broke her heart all over again to see that no matter how much Henry would talk to her, she would just remain silent. It was exactly the reason Regina didn't like allowing these little supervised meetings. _

_"I thought you might like to read a story? I know how much you love them." Henry held the book up so Emma could see. "Last time I left off reading 'The Little Mermaid,' remember?" Henry paused flipping through the pages of the large anthology and stared at Emma. Tears slowly started to well up in the corners on his eyes. He would always wait for her response, but it just would never come. _

_"I miss you… " He whispered quietly so only she could hear him. "Mom doesn't let me come out here very often, but I am always thinking about you." Henry smiled to himself, allowing several tears to slowly trickle down his cheeks. "We're doing good by the way. Mom has stopped shouting in her sleep, so I guess that's a good sign. I wish I knew how to help her better. You always knew what to do when she couldn't sleep." He ran a hand through his hair in the same way she used to. "My birthday is tomorrow!" He perked up a little bit remembering, "I'm not doing anything special really, but I mean sixteen is a pretty big number dontcha think?" Henry bit down on his lower lip for a second to stop himself from crying anymore. _

_"Henry, we really should get going now…" Regina shouted out the window of her car. _

_"Kay mom, just give me one more second!" He called back to her. "Well, looks like I've gotta run Emma. He gathered his book and took another step towards hers. Placing a kiss to his own fingertips, he then transferred the kiss to the cold stone of Emma Swan's grave. "Love you mom. See you soon, I promise." Henry retreated to the car slowly. It had been four years since his mother died._


End file.
